Means for securing sheathing to metal



J. D. cREccA I Nov. 1, 1938.

MEANS FOR SECURING SHEATHING T0 METAL Filed Nov. 8, 1937 u TIE-11l- 7 INVENTOR JOHN DCRECCA.

A ORNEY Patented Nov. 1, 1938 umrso STATES MEANS FOR SECURING SHEATHING TO METAL 1 Claim.

PATENT OFFICE (Granted under the act of March a, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 3'10 0. G. 757) This invention relates to an improved means for securing sheathing to metal, and more especially to the welding of a stud bolt to a metal surface with the sheathing already in place without the possibility of scorching or burning the sheathing during the welding process.

In a copending application of the present applicant, Serial No. 686,095, filed August 21, 1933, there has been disclosed a method and means for securing a wooden sheathing to a metal surface including welding of a securing stud bolt to the metal surface after the sheathing is already placed in position. Another copending joint application, Serial No. 706,509, filed January 13, 1934, discloses an apparatus which can be most efficiently and economically used under the usually encounterable conditions incarrying out this invention and practicing the method disclosed herein.

In certain forms of the invention disclosed in the method and apparatus of the previous applications it has been found that there is a possibility with other than the most expert welders of scorching or burning some of the counterbored area of the sheathing while the stud is being secured.

The present invention provides means for pro tecting the sheathing from being scorched or burned by the heat of the electric welding operation even when performed by less skilled workmen. This means insures, in all cases, a firmer and more durable fastening of the sheathing to the metal surface.

Heretofore, the wood-sheathing of metal has been limited usually to thick wood capable of withstanding the wear and impacts of heavy weights. Even with such sheathing it was difllcult for others than the more skilled and expensive welders to perform the welding without appreciably scorching and weakening the securement. It was even more difficult for others than the welders of the highest skill, and naturally commanding correspondingly large compensation, to efficiently and durably weld to metal the securements of thin sheathing as thin or thinner than present house flooringnnd ceiling. The present invention renders it substantially as easy, convenient, and safe from scorching, toaweld to metal the securements for thin sheathing as an insulating or a service or ornamental covering of the metal, such that even ordinary workmen may be quickly taught to at least as quickly and safely weld to metal the metal securements of thin as of thick wood-sheathing. The sheathing'maybe of wood, pressed fiber plates, linoleum or other composition sheets, metal or other material, especially where the material comprising the sheathing is such that its most eilicient and economical securement by means of welding may impair such material, or the durability or rigidity of its securement or a characteristic or property of the material.

The disclosures of the designated applications, as well as of this application, may each employ sheathing of wood, composition, or otherwise, and

.the metal surface sheathed may be a ships deck,

a cabin wall or ceiling, or a building floor, wall or ceiling, or the surface of an article of furniture such as office furniture or safes, or otherwise, where itis desired that the object itself may be made of metal and where it is further desired that the object be covered with wood, composition or other type of sheathing without the securing element penetrating the metal surface of, or perforating the object.

In the following description the invention is particularly described as including the application of a' wood floor or sheathing to a ships deck or any metal surface as a particular example of this invention, but it will be understood that such particular description is not considered as a limitation of this invention except as defined within the scope of what is claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in .which like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is'a sectional view of a metal surface REISSUED JUN 9- 1942 to which a sheathing has been applied accord- I ing to this invention;

Fig. 2 is a partly sectional view of the securing means of Fig. l on an enlarged scale; and

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the securing nut.

There is shown at in a metal surface such as a ships deck to which '1; is desired to secure a sheathing, such as a w flooring, herein shown as being a wooden sheathing made up of individual planks II. This nietal surface, as already brought out, may be a ships deck; a wall, floor or ceiling surface of metal; furniture or safe surface of metal, or the like. The sheathing H, while being referred toas being of wood planks, may be sheets of other material, including natural or artificial-compositions of matter; for instance, it might be a semi-hard rubber or a phenolic condensation product, sometimes commercially known as Bakelite, or any other suitable type of sheathing, depending on the article of metal that is being covered and the use to which it is to be put.

In order to secure the planks of sheathing H to the metal surface ill they are provided with a plurality of counterbored openings extending from the outer surface to the inner surface of the sheathing, the counterbored openings comprising a large bore opening it adJacent the outer surface, a small bore opening ll adjacent its inner surface, and an intermediate shoulder l5 connecting the large bore opening II and the small bore opening it. These counterbore openings may be preformed in the sheathing l I before placing it into contact with the surface it or, if desired, may be bored through the sheathing when it is already in position on the metal surface ID.

A hollow thin ferrule I! having an opening I! in its top affording clearance for the bolt [8, may be inserted through the small bore ll of the opening until its lower edge comes into contact with the metal surface ill. This ferrule i1 is preferably made of some fire-resistant material such as natural or artificial lava, furnace slag, asbestos, silicates, or other similar flame resisting, non-conducting materials. The outside diameter of the ferrule i1 is such in comparison'to the inside diameter of the small bore ll that it may be easily inserted through the small bore by the fingers, and it has a sumciently slight frictional contact with the inside of the small bore ii that it will remain in position therein even though the metal surface Ill be a side wall or a ceiling. A tighter contact than this has been found unnecessary.

Next a mixture of aluminum filings and iron filings 25 is dropped in through the opening IQ of the apertured flange l8 of the ferrule H to the metal surface Hi, when the surface ID is horizontal, as a floor. Should this surface it) be a ceiling or wall, some adherent material such as glue may be placed on the surface to cause the filings to temporarily adhere thereto. The iron filings are preferably steel and are especially filings from steel forgings and not cast iron or cast steel filings.

Next the stud bolt i6 suitably held in the end of the welding apparatus is inserted through the counterbore l3 and opening IS in the ferrule H, the lower end of the stud bolt i6 being preferably tapered as shown at 25. This end 26 of the stud bolt i6 is brought close to but not into actual contact with the surface of the deck l and the electric current is turned on through the welding apparatus. This causes an electrical flux between the end 26 of the stud bolt l6 and the metal surface I0, and this electrical flux causes the filings 25 to act as an arc-inducing material, thereby creating a welding arc between the end of the stud bolt and the surface of the deck without the necessity of first touching the stud bolt to the deck. Immediately that this are is created the end 26 of the stud bolt IS, the filings and the deck surface are raised to a welding temperature and the welding machine is operated to advance the stud bolt into contact with the deck surface and the welding current cut off, allowing the stud bolt to solidify itself with the dock surface and become an integral part thereof.

After the stud bolt I. has been thus end-welded to the surface II, a hemp grommet 20 is placed on the shoulder II and a metal washer 2i is placed above the grommet 20. A nut 22 having an externally projecting flange 22 is then threaded over a stud bolt it, it being observed that the body of the nut 22 is of a diameter at least'slightly less than the diameter of the small bore il. while its flange 23 is of a diameter substantially greater than the diameter of the small bore H and at least slightly less than the diameterof the large borel 3. It will be further observed that both the grommet 20 and the washer 2! are provided with internal apertures of a diameter equal to or larger than the diameter of the body of the nut 22, so that as the nut 22 is threaded over the stud bolt it the flange 23 contacts with the upper surface of the washer 2i which, in turn, presses against the grommet 20 on the shoulder I of the counterbore. The nut 22 is then tightened by means of a Y-ended T-wrench adapted to engage slots i2 of nut flange 22, thereby compressing the hemp grommet 20 tightly against the shoulder and the side walls of the large bore i3, making it impossible for any moisture to pass down along the side walls of the counterbore to the metal surface I 0. When the nut 22 is tightly in position a plug 23' of a material preferably similar to material of the sheathing H is then placed in the large bore iii, the outer surface of the plug 23' being brought flush with the outer surface of the sheathing ii. Any suitable number of counterbores and stud bolts will be provided for each plank or sheet of sheathing, and as each plank or sheet is firmly secured an adjacent plank or sheet is next secured adjacent thereto until the entiremetal surface I 0 has been covered as desired.

Other modifications and changes in the proportions and arrangements of the parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the nature of the invention, within the scope of what is hereinafter claimed.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

In combination, a metal surface, a sheathing liable to be impaired by high temperatures, said sheathing having an opening therethrough and means for securing said sheathing to said metal surface comprising a threaded male member endwelded to said surface through said opening, an apertured, flanged fire-resistant ferrule inclosing said welded end and insulating said sheathing from the heat of said welding and protecting the threads of said threaded member from weld spatters above the'flw elded portion, a threaded member screwed to said male member and having an externally projecting flange at its outer end contacting the sheathing.

JOHN D. CRECCA. 

